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Google set to shut down its Allo messaging app, says report

The app is reportedly already down for many users.

Marrian Zhou Staff Reporter
Marrian Zhou is a Beijing-born Californian living in New York City. She joined CNET as a staff reporter upon graduation from Columbia Journalism School. When Marrian is not reporting, she is probably binge watching, playing saxophone or eating hot pot.
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Marrian Zhou
google-allo

Google's Allo messaging app. 

 Jason Cipriani/CNET

Google will "soon" pull the plug on its Allo messaging app, says a Wednesday report by 9to5 Google.

The tech giant didn't respond to a request for comment.

Google said in April that it would "pause investment" in Allo. The search giant decided to focus resources on Rich Communications Services, or RCS, instead. RCS is designed to bring enhanced features to SMS texting.

Allo debuted in 2016 as a challenger to Apple's iMessage, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and other chat applications. The free app has been available on both Android and iOS devices and has featured Google's digital assistant that retrieves information for users in a conversational way. Allo also has end-to-end encryption and an incognito mode designed to erase messages.

The app is already down for many users, according to 9to5 Google. Messages reportedly can't go through, and the Google Assistant in the app apparently doesn't work either.

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